You’re unfair, unjust – Gov. el-Rufai blasts NBA over botched invitation as Shi’ites jubilate

Anthony Iwuoma

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has not taken kindly the withdrawal of his invitation to speak at this year’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference, saying the decision was not fair and just.

The invitation was withdrawn as a result of protests from some lawyers but El-Rufai, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, saw it as an “unfortunate embrace of injustice”.

The statement added that the governor would contribute to the national conversation, saying:
“When lawyer friends requested Malam Nasir el-Rufai to accept the invitation of the NBA to participate in a panel discussion on national identity, he accepted as part of his commitment to having a national conversation and the evolution of a national consensus.

“NBA platform or not, these worthy conversations must continue. He will continue to make his voice heard on the things our country needs to do for its progress.

“While the decision about who speaks at its event is clearly the NBA’s, Malam El-Rufai wishes to make clear that he did not seek the platform and is not agitated that he has one less speaking engagement.

“However, the circumstances of the last few days warrant some comments. That a professional organisation has elected to endorse a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue is something that its members may wish to reflect upon.

” For an association, whose bread and butter is about justice to make a ruling based on the stridency of people who lampoon judicial processes against certain individuals without hearing the other side is odd. It bears noting that in its response to pressure, the NBA leadership has signalled an unfortunate embrace of injustice, unfairness, absence of fair hearing and total disregard for the rule of law.

“The defamatory statements in the petition is another matter entirely, and they will get the appropriate response.

“Malam Nasir el-Rufai has taken several actions on the security, institutional and technology fronts to address the legacy of violent strife in the state. He is the governor that made permanent military and police bases a reality in southern Kaduna, after close to 40 years of waiting. He is the governor that set up a Peace Commission to nudge communities to embrace their responsibility to live in peace and harmony.”

Despite El-Rufai’s displeasure, however, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria IMN, otherwise known as Shiites, has jubilated over the development and commended the NBA for withdrawing its invitation to the governor.

Speaking in a letter written to the NBA, signed by the president of its Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa, IMN said: “The Islamic Movement noted that Governor El-Rufai is the most unsuitable person to talk to a body of learned men considering his legendary disrespect for the rule of law, blatant abuses of fundamental rights and intolerance to opposing views.

“El-Rufai has been an agent of impunity and division who supports extra-judicial killings and building of mass graves.

“He, in collaboration with officers of the Nigerian army, attacked members of the Islamic Movement, without recourse to law, leading to the gruesome extrajudicial murder of at least 347 members of the Movement (by the government’s own admission) in December 2015 and hurriedly buried them in mass graves.

“Despite the open confession by the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Alhaji Lawal Balarabe Abbas before a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, governor el-Rufai has refused to prosecute the criminal elements who perpetrated these crimes, but rather paradoxically filed charges of conspiracy and culpable homicide against over 250 members of the IMN at Kaduna state high courts.

“Although the Kaduna high courts have since discharged and acquitted all of them, governor el-Rufai has continued to seek further ways to subjugate and persecute members and leadership of the Movement in contravention of his oath of office to ‘do right to all manners of people according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will…’

“Certainly, such a person must not be promoted or allowed to address an Association of learned men, whose motto is “Promoting the Rule of Law.” We therefore salute your unique courage to stand firmly on the path of what you profess to promote and stamp out – impunity and gross abuse of human rights in our beloved country, which loudly proclaims to operate under the rule of law.”